Friday, June 28, 2013

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Yield


Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: yield

What does the word yield mean to you?

When we yield to someone, does it require giving something up?  Explain.

Why is it so hard to yield to God?  What things make it difficult for you?

What are the benefits if we yield our lives to God?


Let me know what you think!!


"Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"  (Romans 6:16, KJV 2000 Bible)

"Yield now and be at peace with Him; Thereby good will come to you."  
(Job 22:21, NASB)


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

Monday, June 24, 2013

GOD IS SHAPING ME - A Poem


GOD IS SHAPING ME

God is shaping me
molding me
kneading me
pulling and tugging
at this old lump of clay –

I protest.

I don't like being
Stretched
and
Rearranged.

I find discomfort
in God's
powerful hands
as they work me over.

I spin
on His wheel
Dizzy
and
Disoriented –
He pushes a thumb
Here
and
There,
He pinches
and
Prods,
And sometimes
He starts
all over again.

I am
uncomfortable
with His work –

I like being
a lump of clay…

Why won't He,
Why can't He,
just leave me
Alone?


I don't like being
Passive
Submissive
to Him.

At least
He could let me
decide
Whether to be
A vase
or
A plate
or
A mug
or
A statue…

Couldn't He?

But the Lord knows
the shape
that I am to become –
He decides
the means for
the molding…
He keeps working
until
my resistance
Stills.

I surrender.

I allow
Him to do
the forming.

And slowly
And surely
My lumpy clay
begins
to take on
Character.

The Potter
leans over
and whispers
to me…

"You are My masterpiece."

© Sharon Kirby
January 8, 2013





The Potter spins the wheel, and I am molded to His will. 



"Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." (Isaiah 64:8, NIV) 

"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."  (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)


Are you letting The Potter shape you?


Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY
Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY
Hazel at TELL ME A TRUE STORY
Darlene at TITUS 2SDAY
Tracy at WINSOME WEDNESDAY
Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

Friday, June 21, 2013

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Heal


Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: heal

What does the word heal mean to you?

Do you have anything that you need God to heal - physically, emotionally, spiritually?  (Feel free to share...)

How does God heal us in ways that no one else can?


Let me know what you think!!


"O LORD, if you heal me, I will be truly healed; if you save me, I will be truly saved. My praises are for you alone!" (Jeremiah 17:14, NLT)

"He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds." 
(Psalm 147:3, KJ 2000 Bible)

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5, NIV)



"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

Monday, June 17, 2013

BEWARE THE BITTER ROOT


Ever been disappointed, rejected, betrayed?

I'm thinking if you've lived past high school (or even earlier?), the answer to that question is yes.

An unfortunate statistic.

But people have a way of hurting other people.  Sometimes it's intentional, often it's not.  Mostly it doesn't matter.  

Hurt still hurts.

And though hurt often leads to sad, sometimes it leads to MAD!

If I'm honest, I find that most of the time I get angry, it's really because I've gotten hurt.  Anger seems to be the go-to reaction.  Why is that, I wonder?  I think it has something to do with vulnerabilityabout how being vulnerable makes us feel smallvictimized, dismissed, invalidated, diminished.  

And we are, perhaps, never more vulnerable than when we've been hurt.

That's understandable.

But woe to the angry one!

Because anger is like a weed in our hearts – a weed that can quickly grow roots of bitterness.

And bitter roots are dangerous, choking things.  They are deadly.

I've been thinking about this lately.

Been going through some new hurts – new hurts that are also stirring up some old hurts.

I am dismayed at how easily I have become an emotional bookkeeper.

Yup, I'm a good little accountantkeeping tally of perceived wrongs. Keeping careful track of all the hurts inflicted on me.  Recording the wounds, checking off the snubs and slights, adding up the words and the attitudes and the actions.

Marking them all down in red – until, before I know it...

I'm seeing RED!

Ugly admission, but true.

The enemy is quite happy about this.

After all, he's pleased when people visit H & R Beelzebub.

"Bring those receipts to me.  Yes indeed.  Let's add things up here.  Sure enough, you've overpaid.  People have taken advantage of you.  You've been shortchanged.  People OWE you…"

The fine print?  "Those shallow, selfish, evil people.  You're better than they are.  You should hate them…"

His math?  Hurt + Anger = Bitterness.

Oh, what a battle it is when you feel *entitled* to your feelings.

Now, I'm not one to dismiss those feelings.  Feelings are real.  But they don't need to rule.

That's the secret, and that's the challenge.

Learning how to face the feelings, feel them, and then to let them go.

But, it's the only thing to do.

Because once those roots of bitterness begin to grow, they grow deep. They cut a wide path of destruction.  They kill good plants, and thwart any growth of new fruit.

Like I said – deadly.

It's why God warns us so much about anger.  He knows it's a seed planted…

"And 'don't sin by letting anger control you.'  Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil."  
(Ephesians 4:26-27, NLT)

"Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires."  
(James 1:20, NLT)


So, is anger wrong?

No, Jesus Himself got angry.  But God warns us against being angry…and sinning.

It's not the feeling that causes the problem.  It's the underlying reasons for the anger, and the indulging of anger that leads to problems.

It is *feeling the feeling* and letting it fester.  Ruminating upon it.  Feeding the flames.  Letting it lead us to bitterness.

Forgiveness?

No room for that in a bitter and resentful heart.

And God calls us to something bigger – something behind the act of forgiveness.  He calls us to love.

And love requires poor bookkeeping:

"It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."  (1 Corinthians 13:5, NIV)

God calls us to forgive the debts AND the debtors...

...the debtors AND the debts.

Sigh.

I am facing a battle inside myself lately.  Knowing that the old devil is trying to inflame my hurts.  Trying to stimulate my angertrying to make it feel righteous.

He's trying to water the roots…

Me?

I'm trying to face the feelings – without feeling the fireworks.

Learning to let go.

Learning to be hurt, yes – but through the pain, learning to turn to the Binder of Wounds, the Friend of the Brokenhearted, the Champion of the Crushed.

Using my will to battle my injured heart.

Remembering that Jesus bore wounds for me.  My precious Savior – hurt, disappointed, rejected, betrayed Jesus.  

He was wounded for me.

So, I'm taking His precious blood and crossing out the debts in my "red column" of wrongs.  Giving Him the books.  Thanking Him for getting rid of the books that keep track of MY wrongs against other people.  Asking Him to forgive me for the many ways that I hurt HIM – for all MY marks in the "red column."

Praising the Love that made it possible for my name to be entered into the only book that counts – the Book of Life.


Are you feeling hurt?  Angry?

Oh dear friends, don't let the enemy get rooted…

Attach yourself more tightly to The Vine.





They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.
Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.



"And then he added, 'It is what comes from inside that defiles you…'"  
(Mark 7:20, NLT)

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." (Proverbs 4:23, NIV)


Is there any bitterness in your heart that God needs to uproot?


Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY
Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY
Hazel at TELL ME A TRUE STORY
Darlene at TITUS 2SDAY
Tracy at WINSOME WEDNESDAY
Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

Friday, June 14, 2013

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Heavenly Father


Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: Heavenly Father

What comes to mind when you think about your Heavenly Father?

At this season in your life, which character trait of the Heavenly Father means the most to you - and why?

What is the one thing you want to say to your Heavenly Father today?


Let me know what you think!!


"So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him." (Matthew 7:11, NLT)


***HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all you dads out there!***


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

Monday, June 10, 2013

MY GRANDPA'S JACKET


I love jackets. 

I have coats of all sizes and colors and fabrics and patterns.

Yes, I have a bunch.

You see, I have this weird thing about collecting certain things.  Like watches – I've got several of those.  And blankets – ooo, got a whole lot of those.  And flashlights – I love those, too.

It's almost like it doesn't matter how many I have of these items, or if I really need a new one – somehow I am just drawn to collect more.

So, I've amassed a nice, eclectic group of coats.  And it's a good thing, too. Finally, my insistent *pack rat gene* has paid off.  I can actually wear all of these jackets up here.  The weather is finally COLD enough…

But, among all my jackets, among all my favorites, there is one that stands out.

It's a rather dirty, yellowed suede jacket.  It's got this lamb-like fleece lining that is clumpy now.  The buttons are hanging by a thread (literally). And the hems at the sides are tied with tattered leather string.

I can't remember the last time I wore this jacket – or if I've ever worn it at all.

But it is a prized treasure.  With a place of honor in my closet…

Because this jacket belonged to my grandpa – Poppy T.


My mother's parents were just the absolute best.  For most of my life, I lived about four hours away from them.  But, some of my very fondest childhood memories happened either at their house, or on their visits to mine.

For a long time, Nana and Poppy T lived in Atascadero a rural community close to San Luis Obispo.  They lived in a house on the top of a hill a house that my grandfather built.  He was a carpenter by trade.

I had the BEST adventures up there!

It was in this house that my life-long passion for rocks was born!  Poppy T would polish and shape them on his rock machines.  I loved watching him work.  It was in this house that I learned many faith lessons by watching Poppy T do magic tricks – tricks with a spiritual twist to them.  It was in this house that I watched fireworks across the lake, developed an unnatural fear of black widow spiders, and played with toys that used to be my mom's. 

It was in this house that I learned that I was accepted and loved – dearly – just the way I was, just because I was alive!

After several years, my grandparents semi-retired to manage a tent/trailer campground in Morro Bay – on the coast.  Oh, the fun we had there!

And you know what?!  It never mattered how sandy or wet we got while out exploring the shoreline.  We were always welcomed into the house to show off the *treasures* we had collected.

And then, of course, there were those wonderful times when my grandparents would come down to visit us.  We'd go to Disneyland or Knott's Berry Farm, we'd go out to eat, we'd go on all sorts of adventures.  But, though those times were great fun, it wasn't what I looked forward to when my grandparents came into town.  

It was them.

The sheer joy of being with them.

You see, Poppy T had a wonderful sense of humor.  And he was a bit of a scamp!  I enjoyed the twinkle he always seemed to have in his eyes, and the smile that was always on his face.  He was kind, and gentle, and thoughtful. He was a dedicated husband to my grandma – who spent the last part of her life in a rest home.

But the thing I most remember about my Poppy T is that he loved the Lord. (For a while, he had been the lay preacher at the small chapel in Atascadero – which he also helped to build).

The last time I visited him, he was hardly there anymore – a victim of Alzheimer's disease.  But that day, I could tell that he recognized me. And I talked to him about Jesus.  As I stared at his gnarled carpenter's hands, my heart was deeply touched.  Because, you see, at the name of Jesus my grandpa, my dear Poppy T, smiled.

Deeply, knowingly, lovingly.

He knew me, and he knew his Savior.

Poppy T died in 2002, an old man at almost 97.

Well, his body died.

Because I know for a fact that my grandpa lives – and will live – on and on and on.

I have saved my grandpa's jacket because it reminds me of him.  But it also reminds me of his unshakeable faith.

I have saved my grandpa's jacket because somehow it reminds 
me of Jesus.

JESUS.

Who accepts and loves me – dearly – just the way I am, just because I’m alive!





A Poppy T Hug!



"Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them." (Deuteronomy 4:9, NIV)



Do you have any precious memories of your grandparents?


Linked today with:

Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY
Hazel at TELL ME A TRUE STORY
Darlene at TITUS 2SDAYS
Tracy at WINSOME WEDNESDAY
Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS


***A very (early) Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful dads out there in Blog Land!***


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"


Friday, June 7, 2013

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Wisdom


Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: wisdom

How would you define the word wisdom?

Do you think there's a difference between intelligence and wisdom?  If yes, what is it?

Is wisdom a gift or can it be learned?

What is one piece of wisdom you would like to pass on to someone else?


Let me know what you think!!


"And this is what he says to all humanity: 'The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.'"  (Job 28:28, NLT)

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise."  
(Psalm 111:10, NIV)

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."  (James 1:5, NIV)


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

Monday, June 3, 2013

AGE SPOTS


OK, does anyone out there have these things??

You know, those lovely tannish-brown spots on my skin that seem to cover more and more territory each year –

(If you do, I feel your pain…)

I actually looked these things up on Wikipedia:

"…blemishes on the skin associated with aging and exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun."

Blemishes – no duh.

Their other names?

Liver spot.  (Yuck – add onions, I feel like crying…)

Senile freckle.  (Yes…senile freckle.  Like it forgot how it got on my face…and hands...and...)

I think they're gross and unsightly.  They are unwanted reminders of my Southern California *worship-the-sun lifestyle*, and the fact that I am getting OLDER.

I've thought about getting them removed.

But electrosurgery, laser treatment, or cryotherapy sounds painful and expen$$$iveand painful.

Those dark-spot erasing creams?  Not sure if they're very effective or not – (I'm open to suggestions if one of you knows a good one).

So, I hate these things because they're like neon signs that flash out the truth – I. AM. NOT. YOUNG. ANYMORE.

But see, that's the real deal.

The age spots are irritating – the age is disturbing.

Disturbing because the years march on relentlessly, out of my control, and always leading inexorably toward that final curtain.

I don't like getting older.

I've had so many conversations with my mom lately about getting older, about approaching the end.

And even with faith, even with a close walk with the Lord, the Valley of the Shadow of Death is daunting, scary, threatening.

Last night we were talking about my dad, whose mind is drifting away so rapidly now.  Mom told me how it's hard for her to see – both for his sake, and as a reminder that she, too, is getting older.

And out of the blue, I said this to her:

"Mom, don't think for a second that the Lord who has walked with you all these years will let go of you now.  He's holding on to your hand tighter than ever before.  Old age is just a chance to feel Him closer."

We both stopped silent.

You see, I didn't really think those things – I just said them.  (The Holy Spirit has a way of doing that, you know…)

And, the more I thought about it, the more I knew it to be true.

For me, too.

Growing older is a privilege in so many ways.  My walk has indeed grown closer as I've added candles to my birthday cake.  My faith has grown deeper, my sense of God's Presence more tangible, my love for His Word stronger.


I ask myself these questions…

Would I feel Him as surely if I was younger?

Would the walk with Him be as sweet if I could walk without pain?

Would remembering His faithfulness be as powerful if my memory wasn't so flaky sometimes?

Would reading His Word be as wonderful if I didn't have to do it with glasses?

Would hearing His voice be as tangible if my hearing was not growing weaker?

Would my heart not soar as high if I wasn't slowing down?


I don't think so.

Because it is in the aging that I am learning new depths of His character, and about what it means to grow on the inside, while the outside just grows old.

Sagging flesh is weak, but He is making my spirit strong.

I'm going to share these thoughts with my mom today.  And I'm pretty sure she'll understand.  (She will, for sure).  She knows that there is something to be said for the gray hair of wisdom that comes with age (even if you dye it like I do!!).

She will know that the sure hand of the Lord grips tighter with every year that passes.

She will know, because her testimony speaks to me.

A woman of grace and faith and love and humility.

An older woman who knows how to age with beauty.


Maybe that's what those old age spots truly are – beauty spots.

Spots that testify to the mileage of our journeys.  Spots that testify of our flawed flesh but saved souls.  


Spots that testify to years spent with the SON.






Hands to work...Heart to God



"Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life." 
(Proverbs 16:31)


What is God teaching you in the process of growing older?


Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY
Hazel at TELL ME A TRUE STORY
Darlene at TITUS 2SDAY
Tracy at WINSOME WEDNESDAY
Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS


(For a wonderful story about *spots* and flaws, you might enjoy Max Lucado's book, YOU ARE SPECIAL)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"